Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. will return $15,000 donated to his campaign for state attorney general from a company owned by a wealthy northeastern Pennsylvania businessman.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. will return $15,000 donated to his campaign for state attorney general from a company owned by a wealthy northeastern Pennsylvania businessman.

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Updated: 6:15 PM EDT Apr 19, 2016

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WEBVTT RETURNING THE CONTRIBUTION. ANDREW: PAUL VAN OSDOL YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE MONEY TRAIL. REPORTER: THAT'S RIGHT. LAST WEEK STEPHEN ZAPPALA REPORTED GETTING $15,000 IN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A COMPANY CALLED POCONO GARD REALITY. IT IS OWNED BY A CONVICTED FELON FROM SCRANTON WHO ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS HAD TIES TO T MOB. AFTER HE WANTED A LICENSE T OPEN A CASINO IN THE POCONOS A GRAND JURY INDICTED HIM FOUR PERJURY COUNTS INCLUDING ONE COUNT OF LYING ABOUT HIS CONNECTION TOSS A MOB ASSOCIAT THE PERJURY CHARGE WAS DROPPED WHEN HE AGREED TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF THE CASINO HIS DAUGHTER. PREVIOUSLY HE WAS CONVICTED OF A FELO CONSPIRACY CHARGE. POCONO GARDENS REALI A COMPANY CONTROLLED BY HIM GAVE ATTORNEY GENERA CANDIDATE STEPHEN ZAPPALA CONTRIBUTIONS OF $5,000 LAST MONTH AND $10,000 LAST WEEK. STEPHEN ZAPPALA'S CAMPAIGN SAYS HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE CONTRIBUTION SOURCE UNTIL MONDAY AND NOW HE IS RETURNING IT. IN A STATEMENT CAMPAIG PH-GTER MARTY MARKS SAYS AS ATTORNEY GENERAL EVEN THOUGH THE CONTRIBUTION WAS LEG REPORTED AND TRANSPARENT, HE BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE'S LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND AVOID EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY WHENEVER POSSIBLE. STEPHEN ZAPPALA A THE MAN HAVE A PREVIOUS CONNECTION, STEPHEN ZAPPALA'S FATHER AND SISTER WORKED FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA CASINO ASSOCIATION A LOBBYING GROUP COULD HE FOUNDED BY THE MAN, AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION WAS RETURNED AMID CONTROVERSY. 2013POCONO GARDENS REALITY GAVE ATTORNE GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE $25,000. SHE RETURNED THE MONEY AFTER THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REPORTED SHE HAD QUASHED A SUBPOENA OF THE MAN'S DURING AN INVESTIGATION INTO A GAMIN OFFICIAL. A SPOKESMAN FOR GOSH SHAPIRO STEPHEN ZAPPALA'S DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY OPPONENT TELLS ME THE DECISION TO INITIALLY ACCEP THE CONTRIBUTION RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT STEPHEN ZAPPALA'S INTEGRITY AND H

Zappala to return $15K donation from Scranton businessman

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. will return $15,000 donated to his campaign for state attorney general from a company owned by a wealthy northeastern Pennsylvania businessman.